Separable fastener for use in securing the edges of two materials together, particularly adapted for shoes



June 1 1942. E. s. MARINETTI 2,236,149 SBf'ARABLE FASTENER FQR U$E IN SECURING THE EDGES OF TWO MATERIALS TOGETHER, PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR SHOES 2, 1939 3 ShQStS-ShQGt 1 Original Filed Dec.

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v9 ofzzey June 9, 1942. E. e. MARINETT! 2,286,149 .SEPARABLE FASTENER FOR USE IN SECURING THE EDGES OF TWO MATERIALS TOGETHER, PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR SHOES Original zFiled Dec. 2, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,[72 vex 72 7 ,Eiwa rel 1 056195 /rz'zzei'lz;

v? oriaey 2,286,149 MATERIALS June 9, 1942.

. E. G. MARlNETTl SEPARABLE FASTENER FOR USE IN SECURING THE EDGES OF TWO TOGETHER, PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR SHOES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lnven/Z'r Z6 ,Edw'ar-d G z'osepbvlfirmehq Original Filed Dec. 2, 1939 may.

Patented June 9, 1942 SEPAR-ABLE FASTENER FOR USE IN SECUR- ING THE EDGES OF TWO MATERIALS TO- GETHER, PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR SHOES Edward Gioseph Marinetti, Riverside, R. I., as-

signor of one-half to Arnold W. Jones and Company, Inc., Providence, R. I., a corporation of Rhode Island Original application December 2, 1939, Serial No. 307,286, now Patent No. 2,243,737, dated May 27, 1941. Divided and this application March 21, 1941, Serial No. 384,524

8 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in separable fasteners for use in securing the edges of two materials together.

This is a divisional application of application S. N. 307,286, filed December 2, 1939 for Separable fastener for use in securing the edges of two materials together, particularly adapted for shoes, Edward Gioseph Marinetti, inventor, now Patent No. 2,243,737, issued May 27, 1941.

While my invention may be employed for securing the edges of any two materials together, such as on any type of article of apparel, such as corsets, gloves, etc., it is particularly adapted for use with shoes.

I am aware that other have attempted to employ securing members slidable in guideways for detachably securing the edges of shoe upper wings together and I am also aware that others have employed shoe lacings in the securing member to simulate when in attached position the appearance of an ordinary shoe.

So far as I am aware, however, I am the first to employ a device of this description in a shoe in which the upper surface of the securing member is substantially in the same plane as the upper surface of the shoe wings and the runners and runways for the securing member are substantially concealed and are specifically constructed in such a manner with a small number of parts as not to be visible in the shoe when attached and not to interfere with the movements of the wearer in walking.

An object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a separable fastener of this description,

whether it be employed on a shoe, or otherwise,

in which its very existenceis substantially concealed from view, the upper surfaces of the securing member and the shoe wings being substantially flush with their edges substantially abutting to present to the shoe it normal appearance when the securing member is moved to closed position, it being obvious that a single movement of the securing member permits the shoe to be readily removed from the foot and a single locking movement permits the securing member to be locked in a concealed position after the foot has been inserted within the shoe.

Further features of my invention relate to the specific construction of the various component parts thereof, including the stop means I preferably employ to prevent the securing member from running out of its runways and to assume a position with the ends thereof substantially in alignment with the ends of the shoe upper wings when in closed position.

Further features of my invention relat to the construction of means I preferably employ to normally latch the securing member in raised closed position releasable by the lifting of the securing memberonly to permit by the same action the sliding of the securing member to an open position.

These and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description of the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention applied to a mans low shoe of the Blucher type.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a perspective View of a shoe equipped with my invention with the securing member in closed position as where the shoe is on the foot.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 with the securing member in lowered open position permitting the foot to be removed from or inserted within said shoe.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the upper edge of the shoe upper wings and securing member in attached position with the latch latching the securing member in closed attached position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but with the upper end of the securing member raised'to unlatch the latch to permit the securing member by a continuation of the same movement to be moved downwards to open position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken through the wings and securing member of my invention in attached position.

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the runway means and securing member of my invention in half-way open position with portions of the se.- curing member broken away.

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 6 of a portion of a runway means and one-half of the securing member in raised closed latched position.

Fig. 8 is a rear elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 7 in closed position.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a disassembled perspective view of portions .of the flexible runway means and runner means and latch.

Fig. 11 is a perspective View of the guide plate I preferably employ in the latch means.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout, 2E) generally indicates a separable fastener for use. in securing the edges of two materials together con.- structd in accordance with my invention.

My invention includes a pair'of runway means 22, each attachable to a material edge 24 and a securing member 26 having runners 28 slidable on said runway means 22. Each material edge 24 and the securing member 26 are provided with upper layers 30 and 32 respectively and in accordance with the teachings of my invention said upper layers 39 and 32 when the securing member is in closed attached position substantially abut each other leaving no objectionable space therebetween and have substantially flush upper surfaces and the runners 28 and the runway means 22 are substantially completely concealed within the abutting flush surfaces of said outer layers. While this feature of my invention, which I believe is novel, may be employed in any type of separable fastener for use in securing the edges of two materials together, it is particularly desirable for use in boots or shoes in securing the edges of shoe upper wings or other similar boot parts together in closed position specifically the edges of the shoe upper wings in a closed position over the instep of a foot inserted within said shoe, being concealed within said shoe to provide the normal appearance of said shoe when in attached position, as shown in Fig. 2, my improved separable fastener permitting the spacing of said wing edges 24 to an open position providing an instep opening for insertion of a foot in said shoe I8. Similarly may m invention be employed for securing the edges of a glove slit, boot slit, or otherwise, together and I employ the Word shoe upper wings to include the wings adjacent such a slit in a boot or the normal wings in the upper of a shoe as shown.

As previously stated, the purpose of my invention is to provide a separable fastener which may be removed from said spaceable wings permitting them to be spread apart for the insertion or removal of a foot from said shoe and at the same time when moved to a closed position to provide the normal appearance of the shoe so that this i specific type of separable fastener is substantially concealed within the shoe when in closed position and with this in view I have specifically constructed the parts of my invention as follows:

To more accurately simulate a shoe I preferably provide the securing member 26 with a slit 34 dividing said member into side portions 36, a bottom portion 38 and a top handle portion 48 and I have provided the usual shoe eyelets 42 in alignment with each other on each side portion 36 of said securing member 26 so that the usual shoe lacing 44 may be laced in said eyelets 42 and tied in the usual knot 45 on said securing member. It is obvious that the width of the securing member due to the flexibility of the bottom portion 38 and top handle portion 49 may b varied in use by the tightness of the lacing of the shoelacing 44 to adjustably variably space the side portions 36 of said securing member from each other and when in closed position also adjustably space the wings 24. It is thus obvious that the shoelacing 44 in said securing member thoroughly simulates the appearance of a laced shoe, even though it is permanently tied in the securing member at the desired adjustable tightness for the wearer, thereby providing an initial adjustment even though it be not employed in adjustably opening up the wings 24 or other material edges employed for insertion or removal of a foot from said shoe, the adjustable spacing of v the wings 24 for this purpose being permitted by lowering of the securing member 26 from the closed position shown in Fig. 1 to the open position shown inFig. 2 and vice versa. It is thus obvious that the movement of the securing member from an open to a closed position, or vice versa for removal or insertion of the foot may be accomplished by a single movement of the hand. It is thus obvious that employing my improved construction all parts of the separable fastener are so concealed within the shoe that it has the appearance of a plain laced shoe employing no separable fastener. It is obvious, however, that if desired the slit 34, eyelets 42 and shoelace 44 may be omitted.

In order that this result may be possible, I preferably construct my improved separable fastener as follows: I employ runway means attachable to each respective material or shoe upper wing edge 24 each comprising a flexible binding strip 23 adapted to be secured to a respective shoe upper wing at a spaced distance from the edge thereof and a continuous flexible runway strip 25 relatively superimposed on the in ner portion of said binding strip 23 vertically between said wing and binding strip and an inner end 50 bent outwardly, preferably at an acute angle preferably towards said binding strip 23 forming the runway 22. The flexible binding strip 23 may be constructed of leather or any suitable flexible material and may be secured to the material or wing edge 24 by the lines of stitching 48. The runway strip 25 is preferably made of thin resilient metal or other suitable thin flexible material and the outer runway portion 50 thereof is preferably slotted at spaced intervals as at 54 to provide flexibility throughout the length of the flexible runway means. While said binding and runway strips 23 and 25 may be secured together in any suitable manner, they are preferably provided with aligned rivet holes and the rivets having the usual upset ends are preferably employed for permanently securing said binding and runway strips 23 and 25 together.

A preferable feature of my construction comprises the fact that the runway strip holes 58 are provided with axial lips 62 projecting downwardly therefrom in the preferred embodiment shown for spacing the respective binding and runway strips 23 and 25 opposite said runway 59 to provide room between them for the insertion of the runner plates 35 on said securing member therebetween with the runners 22 riding in said runways 22. The lips 62, however, are of such a limited axial length as not to be visible from the exterior of the shoe, or to provide any discomfort to the wearer.

It is obvious, however, that if desired the binding strip 23 may be omitted and the runway strip 25 directly secured or riveted to the under surface of the shoe upper 24 and it is also obvious that the runway strip 25 may be secured to said binding strip 23 in any other suitable manner than by the rivets shown and where the binding strip be not employed, the runway strip may be secured to the under surface of the material edge 24 in any suitable manner.

While I have specifically shown the inner edge of each shce upper wing with my invention attached comprising three layers, namely, the upper layer 30, the runway strip 25, and the binding strip 23, it is apparent that the binding strip 23 may be omitted and the runway 22. suitably secured to the under surface of said material edge 30 in any desired manner. A supplemental washer and binding strip 21 may be inserted between the upper layer 30 and runway strip 25 for better securement of the rivets til thereto and to provide a base for the more ready cementing of the outer layer 38 thereto to provide a more level outer surface for said outer layer 30.

As stated hitherto, the securing member 26 preferably has an outer layer 32 with each side edge thereof terminating in substantially abutting relationship to and with the outer surface thereof flush with the outer surface 30 of each wing. In my preferred embodiment for a purpose to be described, the securing member also is provided with a lining layer 33 and I provide as the runner means a continuous flexible runner strip 35 on each side edge of said securing member slidable on said respective runways 56 superimposed between said respective layers 32 and 33 adjacent the side edges thereof, each runner strip 35 having an outer edge 64 bent inwardly also preferably at an acute angle preferably towards said outer layer 32 forming a runner. The outer runner portion 64 of each respective runner strip 35 may also if desired be slotted at spaced intervals as at 68 to provide flexibility. Each runner strip 35 and respective outer and lining layers 32 and 33 are provided with the respective aligned eyelet holes and hollow eyelets 42 to extend through said respective aligned holes to join each of said runner strips 35 and outer and lining layers 32 and 33 together along its respective edge of said securing member. Said runner strip holes E in the respective runner strips 35 are also provided with axial lips 16 for spacing said runner strips 33 from said outer layer 32, in the embodiment shown, opposite the runner 28 to provide room for the insertion of the runway strip 25 between said outer layer 32 and runner layer 35 so that the runners 28 thereof may be suitably engaged with their respective runways 22. The respective edges 56 and 64 of the runways and runners are preferably bent at acute angles from their respective strips, not only to provide a tighter binding action against spreading movement, but also to conserve spacing between the upper and lining portions of the shoe wings and securing members.

I also provide means 18 normally latching said securing member in closed attached position, preferably releasable by the lifting of the upper handle portion 48 of said securing member, to permit sliding of said securing member to open position and I also provide means associated with said runners 28 and runways 22 to limit the slidable movement of said securing member in open and closed positions. For this purpose, in my preferred embodiment, each respective runway strip 25 is provided with a downturned upper end 88 providing a stop and a stop lug Bl pro'- jecting inwardly towards the lower end thereof and as shown more particularly in Fig. the upper end of each respective runner 28 is cut away to permit the runner 28 to start from a point slightly spaced from the upper end of said runner strip 35 to permit the upper end 82 of said runner 28 to abut the downturned runway upper end 80 to limit the upward movement of said securing member 26 and it is obvious that said respective downturned upper runway end 80 and cut away runner end 82 provide means to limit the upward movement of said securing member 26 on said runways 22.

For the dual purposes to be described I provide a guide plate 84 superimposed on the upper surface of each runner strip 35 near the upper end thereof underneath said outer layer 32 and secured to said respective layers 32 and 33 and runner strip 35 by said eyelets 42. As means to limit the downward movement of said securing member 26 on said runways 22, each guide plate 84 is provided with a stop lug 86 projecting upwardly therefrom adapted to abut the respective stop lug 8| on the lower end of each runway strip to limit the downward movement of said securing member 26 from disengagement with said runways 22 when in open position. Said plate 84 also functions as a guide plate to guide the movement of a spring latch 18 normally latching said securing member in closed attached position, preferably releasable by the lifting of the upper handle portion 40 of said securing member to permit sliding of said securing member downwards to the open position shown in Fig. 2. In the embodiment of my invention shown a spring latch is provided for latching each side edge of the securing member 26 to its respective runway and comprises a piece of resilient wire 86 having a lower end 88 mounted on a flange 16 of opening 10 surrounding an eyelet 42 spaced from the top of said securing member and projecting upwardly as at 90 between said plate 84 and runner strip 25, said plate 84 and runner strip 35 being spaced apart sufficiently for this purpose by the axial lips 16 of the adjacent runner strip holes and having above the upper end of said runner strip a loop 9| projecting first outwardly as at 92, then across the upper end of said runner strip 25 as at 94 and then inwardly as at 96 terminating in an end 98 preferably secured to the top handle portion 48 of said securing member in any suitable manner as by the stitching I08, to be normally urged outwardly by its inherent resiliency to a position with the portion 94 thereof overlying the upper end of its respective runway plate 25 to prevent slidable downward movement of said member 26, resiliently pivotable inwardly on raising of said top handle portion 40 as shown in Fig. 4 to move the portion 94 thereof previously overlying the upper end of said runway 25 free of the upper end 80 of said runway strip to permit downward slidable movement of said securing member 26 from the closed position shown in Fig. 1 to the open position shown in Fig. 2.

It is thus obvious that employing my improved latch, it is merely necessary with a single movement of the hand to lift up the upper handle portion 40 of the securing member 26 and with the same movement of the hand continue the movement of the securing member to the open position, the stop lugs 86 abutting the stop lugs 8| to prevent the runners 28 from sliding out of said runways 22 and it is then obvious that when the securing member has been moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 that it is ready for the insertion of the foot, or that the foot may be removed from the shoe l8 through the instep opening thus provided. When it is desired to attach the shoe, it is obvious that it is merely necessary to grasp the handle portion 40 of said securing member 26 and pull the securing member 26 upwards until the upper ends 82 of the respective runners 28 abut the downturned upper ends 88 of the runways 22 to limit the upward movement of the securing member, the respective.

spring latches 78 then on lowering of the top handle portion 40 of the securing member through their inherent resiliency bending to permit the portions 94 thereof to again overlie the upper ends 88 of said runways 22 thereby providing latch means to permanently latch the securing member in closed position on said runways until it is again desired to release them for removal of the shoe or to open up the shoe for insertion of the foot.

Ilb'elieve I amzthe firstto providelatch means for this purpos'e constructedzsubstantially solely of a; resilient piece of wire;

It is apparent. that I have provided a novel type" of separable fastener for use in securing the edges of two-materials to ether, particularly adapted? fop use in boots'and shoes with the ad,- vantages explained above.

I employ the word Fi'nwardly andbutwardly relative. to the center line of the securing member;

It is understood that my invention is not limited' to the specific embodiment shown and that various deviations maybe made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended. claims 1'. Aseparable fastener for usein securing two material edges together, comprising runway meansi attachable to each respective edge, each comprising a flexible binding strip adapted to be secured to a respective material portion at a spaceddistance from the edge thereof, a continuous flexible runway strip relatively superimposed on the inner portion of said binding strip between said' material and binding strip having an inner end bent outwardly at an acute angle forming a runway, said runway strip having a downturned upper end forming a stop and a stop lug projecting inwardly near the lower end thereof, said binding and runway strips having aligned rivet holes therein, and rivets joining said binding and runway strips together, said runway strip holes having axial lips for spacing said strips opposite said runway, a securing member, comprising an outer layer terminating in substantially abutting relationship and flush with each material edge, and a continuous flexible runner strip on each edge thereof slidable on a respective runway superimposed between said layers adjacent the side edges thereof, each runner strip having an outer end bent inwardly at an acute angle forming a runner and extending downwardly from a point slightly spaced from the upper end thereof to permit the upper a end of said runner strip to abut said downturned runway upper end to limit the upward movement of said securing member, each runner strip and outer layer having aligned eyelet holes therein, hollow eyelets extending through said aligned holes to join said strips and outer layer together, said runner strip holes having axial lips for spacing said layers opposite said runners, a guide plate superimposed on the u er surface of each runner plate near the upper end thereof underneath said outer layer and secured to said layers and rLmner strip by said eyelets having a stop lug projecting upwardly therefrom adapted to abut the stop lug on the lower end of said runway strip to limit the downward movement of said securing member from disengagement with said runways when in open position and a spring latch comprising a piece of resilient wire mounted on one of said eyelets projecting upwardly between each runner strip and guide plate and having near the upper end of said runner strip a loop first projecting outwardly and then across the upper end of said runner strip and then inwardly terminating in handle end to be normally urged outwardly in a position overlying the upper end of its respective runway strip to prevent downward slidable movement of said securing member resiliently pivotable inwardly free of the upper end of said runway strip to permit slidable downward movement of said securing member from a closed to an open position.

2. A separable fastener for use in securing two material edges together, comprising runway means attachable to each respective edge, each comprising a flexible binding strip adapted to be secured to a respective material portion at a spaced distance from the edge thereof, acontinuous flexible runway strip relatively superimposed on the inner portion of said binding strip between said material and binding strip and having an inner end bent outwardly at an acute angle forming a runway, said strips having aligned rivet holes therein, and rivets joining said binding and runway strips together, said runway holes having axial lips for spacing said strips opposite said runway, a securing member comprising an outer layer terminating in substantially abutting relationship to and flush with each edge and a lining layer, and a continuous flexible runner strip on each edge thereof slidable on a respective runway superimposed between said layers adjacent the side edges thereof, each runner strip having an outer end bent inwardly at an acute angle forming a runner, each runner strip and outer and lining layers having aligned holes therein and means extending through said aligned holes to join said strips and outer and lining layers together, said run- :way strip holes having axial lips for spacing said strips opposite said runners.

3. A separable fastener for use in securing two material edges together, comprising, runway means attachable to each respective edge, each comprising a flexible binding strip adapted to be secured to a respective material portion at a spaced distance from the edge thereof, a continuous flexible runway strip relatively superimposed on and secured to the inner portion of said binding strip between said material and binding strip having an inner end bent outwardly at an acute angle forming a runway, a securing member comprising an outer layer terminating in substantially abutting relationship to and flush with each material edge, a lining layer and a continuous flexible runner strip on each edge thereof slidable on a respective runway superimposed between and secured to said layers adjacent the side edges thereof, each runner strip having an outer end bent inwardly at an acute angle forming a runner, means associated with said runner and runways to limit the slidable movement of said securing member in open and closed positions, and resilient manually releasable means to latch said securing member in closed position.

4. A separable fastener for use in securing the edges of two materials together comprising runway means attachable to each respective edge, each comprising a flexible binding strip adapted to be secured to a material portion at a spaced distance from the edge thereof, a continuous flexible runway strip relatively superimposed on and secured to the inner portion of said binding strip between said material edge and binding strip having an inner end bent outwardly at an acute angle forming a runway and a securing member, comprising an outer layer terminating in substantially abutting relationship to and flush with each material edge, a lining layer and a continuous flexible runner strip on each edge thereof slidable on a respective runway superimposed between and secured to said layers adjacent the side edges thereof, each runner strip having an outer end bent inwardly at an acute angle forming a runner.

5. In a separable fastener for securing two material edges, each having an upper layer, together, a runway attachable to each material portion to project inwardly from each edge thereof, a securing member having a central slit dividing said member into side portions and top and bottom handle portions having an upper layer, runners on each side thereof slidable in said runway and aligned eyelets on each side portion thereof, a shoe lace insertable through said eyelets to adjustably space the side portions of said securing member and material edges together, the edges of the upper layers of said material portions and securing member substantially abutting each other and having substantially flush upper surfaces and the runners and runways being completely concealed underneath the abutting flush surfaces of said upper layers and means normally latching said securing member in closed attaching position releasable by the lifting of a handle portion of said securin member to permit a continued lifting movement thereof to slide said securing member to an open position.

6. In a separable fastener for securing two material edges, each having an upper layer, together, a runway attachable to each material portion to project inwardly from each edge thereof, a securing member having an upper layer, and runners on each side thereof slidable in said runways, the edges of the upper layers of said material portions and securing member substantially abutting each other and having substantially flush upper surfaces and the runners and runways being completely concealed underneath the abutting flush surfaces of said upper layers and means normally latching said securing member in closed attaching position, releasable by the lifting of a portion of said securing member to permit a continued lifting movement thereof to slide said securing member to open position.

7. In a separable fastener for securing two material edges together, a runway attachable to each material edge to project inwardly therefrom, a securing member having a central slit dividing said member into side portions and top and bottom handle portions, runners on each side thereof slidable in said runways and aligned eyelets on each side portion thereof, a shoe lace insertable through said eyelets to adjustably space the side portions of said securing member and material edges together and means normally latching said securing member in closed attaching position releasable by the lifting of a handle portion of said securing member to permit sliding of said securing member to open position.

8. In a separable fastener for securing two material edges together, a. runway attachable to each material edge to project inwardly therefrom, a securing member having runners on each side thereof slidable in said runways and means normally latching said securing member in closed attaching position releasable by the lifting of a portion of said securing member to permit a continued lifting movement thereof to slide said securing member to open position.

EDWARD GIOSEPH MARINETTI. 

